Boeing CEO says Air Force One won't cost $4 billion

Two weeks after demanding the cancelation of Boeing's contract to build the next Air Force One, Donald Trump met with the company's CEO in Florida, who promised to get the cost of the plane down.

The Air Force has budgeted $2.7 million for the Air Force One program, but analysts believe that by the time the plane is finished in the mid-2020s, the cost will swell to $4 billion, The Washington Post reports. After Trump tweeted about the potential $4 billion price tag, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg called him to smooth things over, and they met face to face Wednesday. "We're all focused on the same thing here, we're going to make sure that we give our war fighters the best capability in the world and that we do it in a way that is affordable for our taxpayers," Muilenburg told reporters. "And his business head set around that is excellent. It was a terrific conversation. Got a lot of respect for him. He's a good man. And he's doing the right thing."

Muilenburg didn't say if the cost would be $4 billion, but promised Boeing would "get it done for less than that, and we're committed to working together to make sure that happens. And I was able to give the president-elect my personal commitment on behalf of the Boeing Company."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up